Shaheen seeks PFAS testing on military bases

(The Center Square) – Members of the military would be tested regularly for exposure to a group of substances known as “forever chemicals” under a proposal filed by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.

The plan calls for regular blood testing and health screening for service members at more than 600 U.S. military installations across the country, including at Pease Air National Guard Base in New Hampshire, to determine the extent of their exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

Shaheen said the measure, which is similar to one she previously filed, would “provide military families with access to blood tests, allowing them to be kept informed about their health, receive further follow-up care if needed and take measures to prevent and combat further exposure to PFAS chemicals.”

“Our service members put their lives on the line each day to protect our nation and we owe them every measure to protect their health and provide them with the best care possible,” she said in a statement.

PFAS chemicals were once used in products ranging from rain coats and firefighting foam to nonstick pans. They have been dubbed “forever chemicals” because they accumulate in the human body and can take thousands of years to degrade.

Research has found potential links between high levels of PFAS and illnesses, ranging from kidney cancer to high cholesterol and problems in pregnancies.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set its PFAS standards three years ago, classifying the compounds as an “emerging contaminant” linked to liver cancer and other serious health problems.

Dozens of states are weighing proposals to eliminate PFAS in food packaging, firefighting foam and other products, in addition to setting limits on the level of contaminants in drinking water.

PFAS compounds have been detected in groundwater on or near more than 300 military bases, according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit that tracks the contamination. Military crews used foam containing PFAS to extinguish petroleum fires for decades, the group said.

A recent Inspector General’s audit determined that the Department of Defense has dragged its feet on protecting service personnel from PFAS contamination at military installations and isn’t doing enough to track long-term health effects from exposure to the toxic substances.

“As a result, people and the environment may have been exposed to preventable risks,” the report said.

Last week, the Senate Armed Service Committee added language to a defense spending bill that would set deadlines for PFAS testing and reporting on military bases.

Under Shaeen’s bill, the Department of Defense would be required to pay for PFAS testing even if the service members are no longer active or covered by military insurance. The information would be required to be included in a service member’s medical record and added to a DOD registry.

“These hazardous chemicals have been linked to a litany of health risks like cancer and harm to the immune and reproductive systems, making it critical that we monitor and identify service members and their families’ potential exposure,” Shaheen said.

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